Typically, on livestock farms there are a series of rations that are fed as the animal progresses toward maturity--just as a human would consume baby food as an infant, and progresses to steak and potatoes as an adult. Transition between recipes is based on the amount of feed consumed per head of each particular ration level.
It is desirable to include multiple ration steps--each being tailored to the exact nutrient needs of the animal at each stage of growth. In practice, however, ration changes are made in a haphazard fashion and are of little benefit.
Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the need for an improved method of providing a series of livestock feed rations.